Leafs Sign Liles To Four-Year Extension

Brian Burke, President and General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced Wednesday that the hockey club has signed defenceman John-Michael Liles to a four-year contract extension.

Liles, 31, has played 34 games for the Leafs this season, collecting 21 points on four goals and 17 assists. He ranks second among Leafs defencemen in points, and has recorded two assists in a game on four occasions. The Indianapolis, Indiana native is currently third on the team in average ice-time per game (21:32) and fourth in blocked shots (69). The Leafs originally acquired the 5-10, 185-pound defenceman on June 24, 2011 from the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. The second-round pick was previously acquired by the Leafs from the Boston Bruins as part of the Tomas Kaberle trade.

In 557 career NHL games with Toronto and Colorado, Liles has registered 296 points (72 goals, 224 assists) along with 230 penalty minutes. He has also played in 36 playoff games earning four goals, seven assists, 11 points and 16 penalty minutes. Prior to being acquired by the Leafs he led all Colorado defencemen in points for five consecutive seasons (’06-07 to ’10-11). In 2003-04 he was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie team. He was originally Colorado’s eighth choice, selected 159th overall, in the 2000 Entry Draft.